TOWN NEWS BRIEFING

THE HARTFORD COURANT

WEST HARTFORD

Man Is Sought

In Carjacking

WEST HARTFORD -- Police are investigating a carjacking on Hollywood Avenue late Saturday.

A woman was getting out of her car at 11:15 p.m. when she was approached by a man wearing a black knit hat and carrying a handgun. The man ordered her out of the car before he jumped in and drove off, police said.

The car, a 1999 Mazda Millenium, was later recovered in Hartford, but the man has not been found, police said.

SIMSBURY

Workshop Planned

On Press Releases

SIMSBURY -- The public library will hold a workshop on the "nuts and bolts" of writing press releases on March 21.

Presented by Andrea Obston, owner of Andrea Obston Marketing Communications, the workshop will teach participants how to write press releases and contact the media and will discuss ways to increase the likelihood of getting publicity. The workshop is geared toward both new and established business owners and to people who are considering starting a business.

The free, public session will be in the Program Room at the library, 725 Hopmeadow St. Those interested are asked to register in advance by calling 860-658-7663.

HARTFORD

Franklin Avenue

Restaurant Robbed

A robber stole $700 from the cash register of La Fonda Bar Restaurante on Saturday afternoon.

The robbery occurred at 3:48 p.m. at the restaurant at 269 Franklin Ave., police said. Police say the robber walked up to two female bartenders, showed them an object covered by a black sock, as if it were a weapon, and demanded money.

The robber ran away through the rear parking lot. He was described as a man who spoke Spanish, 5 feet 8, about 180 pounds, wearing black clothes and a black ski mask, police said.

Four young people were caught burglarizing Milner Elementary School on Saturday after police were alerted by a burglar alarm, police said.

The burglary took place shortly before 7 p.m. Officer Kelly Gernet went to the school and saw a light switched on on the third floor and spotted a broken window, police said.

As Gernet was waiting for the keys to open the school, he noticed two youths looking out a third-floor window. The four suspects attempted to escape through a door on the north side of the building, but they were caught.

Police said the youngsters had a backpack containing items from several classrooms, including a VCR. They also found other items left in hallways, including two CD radios, various food items, two screwdrivers and a hammer.

Significant property damage was done to several dozen doors at the school, police said. A14-year-old girl and three boys, aged 10, 11 and 13, were all referred to juvenile authorities and charged with third-degree burglary, second-degree larceny and second-degree criminal mischief, police said.

It was not known Monday whether the youths were students at the school.

HARTFORD

Two Men Charged

In Robbery

Two Hartford men accused of robbing two Wethersfield teenagers as they walked along Elliott Street Saturday night have been charged.

Police learned about the robbery about 8:30 p.m. Saturday after they were summoned to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center at 282 Washington St. to investigate a robbery. There, police found two men who said they were walking east on Elliott Street when they were approached by two men. One of the men pulled out a black handgun and demanded money, police said.

The robbers took $50 and a cellular telephone from the two teenagers. One of the robbers also hit one of the victims in the face.

Police immediately sent out a radio bulletin of the description of the suspects. Sgt. Franco Sanzo, Det. Larry Yohe, Det. Sabine Nyenhuis and Officer Martin Miller caught the suspects, Francisco Bayron, 17, of Main Street, and Joshua Amarol, 16, of Hamilton Street, both of Hartford, standing at Wethersfield Avenue and Elliott Street, police said.

Bayron and Amarol were charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree assault, police said.

HARTFORD

Food Store Robbed

By Two Men

Two men, including one waving a sawed-off shotgun, robbed the Carlos Food Emporium on Albany Avenue Friday night, police said.

The robbers entered the store about 6:50 p.m. They yelled to the clerk not to move or to touch anything, police said. Then, one of the men hopped over the counter and stole cash from the register.

The two men then forced the clerk into the rear office, where they took more cash from the safe and the store's VCR. About $1,000 was stolen. No one was injured.

They left the store and entered a vehicle parked on Albany Avenue. One of the robbers was described as a black man, 5 feet 9 and slim. He wore a dark-colored jacket, black hooded sweatshirt and a black ski mask with the eyes cut out. The second suspect was described as a black man, 5 feet 9 and slim, who wore a denim jacket, a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.

The two men escaped in an older model, four-door green Honda Accord with custom wheels and tinted windows.

The major crimes division of the Hartford Police Department is investigating.

HARTFORD

Man Charged With

Firing Weapon

A Vine Street man, who allegedly fired his gun into the air Sunday outside the A.C. Deli on Albany Avenue, faces weapons charges.

Officer William Rivera was the first officer on the scene. He approached Tyson Murray, 21, who was standing outside 500 Albany Ave. about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Murray, who police said was in possession of narcotics at the time, took off and dropped a 9mm handgun on the ground.

HARTFORD

Two Men Rob

Grocery Store

A Broad Street grocer was robbed at gunpoint Friday by two men who grabbed $300 from the cash register and bolted on foot.

Police say the robbery occurred at 5:40 p.m. Friday at the Del Rio Grocery at 1122 Broad St. Police say one of the men pointed a silver handgun at the clerk and demanded money. He and his partner got away with about $300.

There were no injuries. The first suspect was described as a Hispanic man with a dark complexion. He was 5 feet 6, slim and about 25 years old. He wore a black knit hat and a black sweatshirt. The second was described as a Hispanic man with a light complexion. He was 5 feet 3, heavy and about 25 years old.

NEW BRITAIN

Fugitive Is Found,

Charged In Texas

NEW BRITAIN -- A city woman who didn't show up in court last March to be sentenced for taking two of her children from state custody has been found and arrested in rural Texas.

Bethany Schlichting, 31, formerly of New Britain, is under arrest as a fugitive and eventually will be brought back to Connecticut. She faces sentencing for first-degree custodial interference, risk of injury and first-degree failure to appear.

She briefly snatched her two youngest children from state Department of Children and Families workers in May 1998. State workers have taken four children from her over the years on grounds that she was not caring for them.

BRISTOL

2 Crash Victims

Still In Hospital

BRISTOL -- Two men remained hospitalized Monday with injuries suffered in a head-on crash Sunday evening on Divinity Street.

Steven Lockhart of 31 Mitchell St. was listed in critical condition at Hartford Hospital. Edmond Niewinski, of 70 High St., Thomaston, was listed as stable, hospital officials said.

Both men were flown to Hartford Hospital by medical helicopter after the 7:15 p.m. collision. Police were still investigating the accident, which occurred in the area of 100 Divinity St. Niewinski was driving west when his car crossed the center line and struck Lockhart's car head-on, police said.